Addendum: I get
emails all the time from people who say they are alone in their quest
for truth and for God. Theyíve left any religious affiliation they may
have had and in some cases have even been isolated from their own family
because of the stand theyíve taken. Many of them thank me for making
this website available to them and are grateful for my willingness to
take the time and effort to write these articles and correspond with
them via email. And for many, the articles on this website and our
communication is their source of spiritual instruction and guidance.
It
is to these dear ones that I address this addendum.

In many of the articles you
will find on this website I stress the importance of reality in the
lives of those who would be serious about their pursuit of God. I also
stress the fact that Godís promises are not free and unconditional, as
religion generally likes to present them. They are, in fact,
conditional. In other words, Godís plan of redemption is actually a
covenant of redemption in which both sides of the covenant have definite
responsibilities to meet. The result of this is that God has not bound
Himself to keep His promises unless the conditions He has established
have been met. To this, many in the religious crowd will scream,
legalism! But if you read the Scriptures with an open mind, absent any
preconceived ideas, youíll see what I mean.

Many struggle in their
search for any degree of reality in God because they fail to actively,
willingly pursue Him according to what He has established. Instead, the
influence of religion has kept them ignorant of those things or has
taught them to seek God on their own terms. But, for those who are
serious about knowing God, this does not produce the desired result.

Some of the realities Iím
talking about are found in the four-part series "Avoiding the Dog
and Hog Disease" on the reading list. Iím talking about things
like the willingness to freely forgive others (an absolute prerequisite
to obtain the Fatherís forgiveness), learning to talk with God before
you can walk with Him, avoiding the two things that can kill your
spirituality faster than you could ever imagine Ė self-preservation
and materialism, and, to the surprise and often disappointment of many,
giving. And before you read any further, please, oh please, understand I
am not trying to manipulate you in any way. Iím only trying to give
you the opportunity to be obedient.

Of the four, giving is
probably the one people most donít want to talk about. And Iíve
talked to those who have left institutional religion enough to know that
for many at least one of their reasons for leaving was that they
objected to giving because they disagreed with the way the money was
being spent. So, one of the "freedoms" they enjoy as a result
of leaving religion is not having to give any more.

However, in spite of the
abuses and deceptions of institutional religion regarding giving, it is
still a legitimate principle that is important to those who would know
and experience God. In the aforementioned series "Avoiding the Dog
and Hog Disease", Part 3 is entitled "Oh No! Heís Going to
Talk About Giving!" If you read that article youíll see that from
the very beginning with Adam, then on through Abraham, Jacob, Moses,
David, the Prophets, and on to Jesus and then Paul, the willingness to
give to God is a part of any intimate relationship with God. Giving
allows us to put proper value on spiritual things, it is a constant
rejection of worldly, material values, it is often the means God uses to
reinforce our dependency on Him so He can prove His sufficiency to us,
and itís a continual test of our willingness to sacrifice and of our
determination to serve and follow Him. And those I named above
understood these things and made giving a reality in their lives.

Iíve been around long
enough to watch the lives of those who decided they didnít need to
give (or couldnít afford to, a justification that proves they are
unwilling to trust God), and have been able to compare them to those who
are faithful in their giving. The conclusion is inescapable: with
regards to their spiritual growth, those who donít give go backwards
and those who give go forward. When it comes to true spirituality, thereís
no such thing as a free ride. The realities God requires of us will rid
us of our tendency towards pretense and lip service. We have to make the
right decisions and do the right things to prove to our own flesh that
weíre willing to follow God. And it is then that God honors our
loyalty to Him and reveals Himself to us. Obedience is always the key to
experiencing God, not just in giving, but also in everything else.

Now, at this point I hope
youíre not thinking, "this guyís just another religious
huckster trying to come up with some scheme to separate me from my
money." Honestly, in my flesh, it would be easy to think that I
really could use some of your money; but my spirit knows better. God is
my source, and has proven that to me for quite some time now. On the
other hand, if youíre reaching for your checkbook right about now,
forget it. You wouldnít know where to send it. Nowhere on this website
will you find my address.

The reason Iím doing this
is two-fold. The first is that if you are truly alone in your search for
and pursuit of God and not part of a fellowship of like-minded people,
you have nowhere to give. The other is that Iím personally convinced
that what you find here regarding giving is right and everyone needs the
opportunity to give so they can reap the spiritual benefits of
doing so. In the event that you agree,
have carefully considered it, and have talked to God about it and are
convinced that you should give into this work, you will have to write
and ask for my address. And if you do, know that you will become
part of a ministry that is committed to truth and is reaching people all over
the United States, South America, Europe, Africa, the Orient and the
Pacific Rim.